Vacuum double seaming machine



Oct. 25, 1932.

H. GUENT-HER VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed Deb 28, 1929 1 8 Sheets-Sheet l I [h Venfon- Henry L-GUenfhcg y awmmqdagffikawdt flffo'rnega Oct. 25, 1932. H. L. GUENTHER ,66

VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING' MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Invenfor. c 61/ Henry L-. Gvenfher, Jazwumzdflwdm Attorn y s.

Oct. 25, 1932. H. 1.. GUENTHER VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1929 8 sheetsesheet 5 [/7 venfoK 5 Henry L Guenfhe/ v v JW flfforngys,

Oct. 25, 1932 H. L. GUENTHER VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 In ven for. 5 Hen ry L. Guenfh 61;

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Oct. 25, 1932. H. L. GUENTHER VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1929 s sheets-sheet '1 l lld vwwl r I n vcnbr. Hvrhky L GUen flier; 5v

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VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 K In veri for. 5 Henry L-'uem fzer, y Jawnmvnd, W W.

Afforn'eys,

- Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY I. GUEN'I'HER, .OF IDS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA VACUUM DOUBLE SE AMING MACHINE Application filed December 28, 1929. Serial 1T0. 417,057.

This invention relates to a machine designed to form a double seam between the can and the cap of a sanitary can, and to evacuate the air from acan prior to the closing operation, and to maintain it and its contents in its vacuous' condition until the can. has

been hermetically and permanently sealed, all of which is brought about by an automatical- 1y operated machine to which the can and its cap are fed, within which it is subjected to a suction action in a vacuum chamber, and during which time the first and second double seaming operations are performed to insure that the can will be completely sealed while formed between the can and the cap by a double seam and the can is then discharged 33 from the machine.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in

' which:

Figure 1 is a view in plan showing the machine with which the present invention is concernedi Fig. 2 is a view in front end elevation showing the assembled machine with which the present inventionis concerned.

1 Fig. 3is a view in elevation showing the rear of'th'e machine. v Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the machine, as seen on the line 4-4 of Fig. '1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in plan showing the rotating turret of the machine and indieating the two seaming stations.

Fig. 6 is a View in vertical section as seen on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and showing the double seaming head structure.

Fig. 7 is a view in end elevation showing showing a train vent in the -the can and feed table.

a partof the cam arrangement for the lower chucks of the machine.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in diagram, indicating the different positions of the cam and its lower chuck-during the movement 'of the cam through themachine, and further indicating the relation of the operating cams thereto.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fra mentary view ottom of the counter-balance plunger of a chuck, and by which extraneous moisture may be automatically drained off from the cylinder.

Fig. 10 is a viewjn diagram showing the manner in which suction is created within the machine.

F ing e drivlng arrangement of the can feed sprocket chain.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary View in plan showing the driving arrangementof the double seaming turret.

Fig. 13.is a fragmentary view in plan showing the intermittent driving. mechanismfor the turret.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view in plan showing the mechanism by which the cans are pushed into register with the star wheel.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary View in side elevation showing the pivotal arrangement of Referring more particularlyto the drawings, 10 indicates a can feed disc to which cans are fed consecutively, after having been fitted with their caps. In some instances, the caps .may have been previously secured to the can bodies by an appropriate clenching mechanism which will prevent the caps from becoming misplaced with relation to the cans, as they pass through the machine, but do not prevent a suction action to take place upon the contents of the can when the can, with its 7 assembled cap, are within a vacuum chamber.

The disc 10 isdisposed horizontally and is provided with a yieldable throat member 11, which cooperates with an eccentric cam 12, to cause the cans to move into the feed throat of the machine, and to be sufliciently retarded as they are frictionally driven by the discasv to insure that they will properly register with 11 is a fragmentary view in plan showt one of a plurality of feed fingers 13, carried by a disc 14. The feed disc 10 is mounted upon a vertical shaft 15 and the disc 14 is disposed eccentrically thereof upon a shaft 16. This shaft carries the radial feed fingers 13 by which the can may be engaged and advanced into the machine at a gradually accelerated rate of speed, the structure involved in the can accelerating means being that shown' in my co-pending application entitled Accelerating can feed, filed June 15, 1928, Serial No. 285,663.

This structure, although not a part of the present invention includes a gear 17 in mesh with a gear 18, carried upon a shaft 19, and supported by bracket 20. The gear 17 is mounted upon the shaft 16, and the two gears 17 and 18 are included in a train of gears driven from gear 22 on the main shaft 15 of the disc. The operation of this mechanism is designed to cause the individual fingers 23 of the feed mechanism 14 to move at an accelerated rate of speed, and gradually in advance of the normal rate of s eed, which Would be attained by the feed fingers 23 if they were maintained in rigid radial relation to their axis.

A rail 24 extends along the intended path of the can, over the surface of the feed disc 10, and cooperates with an inner rail 25 to form a guide track for the cans successively delivered thereto. Extending longitudinally of the machine and formed as a continuation .of the rails 24 and 25, are parallel feed rails cause the cans and their associated caps to be diverted from their lineal path of travel and move along an arcuate path of travel into feed positions with relation to a star wheel 32. This diverting movement is positively caused by an inclined pusher head 17 8 mounted upon a moving plunger 179, which operates at'a plane at right angles to the lineal path of' travel along which the can has been moved. The pusher head 178 thus moves the can against the rail 30 and forces it over and inwardly to be engaged by one arm of the star wheel 32 and to be seated in the recess in advancev of that arm and fit into ,the vacuum sealing chamber of the machine.

. The star wheel 32 and the can feed mechanism is intermittent in its operation so that the cans and their associated caps may be brought to register with first and second seaming stations at which points the double seam is initially formed between the can and the cap and is subsequently finished. The can as it moves to the'stanwheel rests. upon a floor 35 and slides the cans forwardly thereover. This star wheel acts to move the cans into position and to discharge them from the machine in a manner which will be hereinafter described. The floor is formed with a plurality of openings 36 therethrough.- The openings are here indicated as being seven in number, each being the mouth of a vertical cylinder 37. These cylinders and the floor structureare carried upon a shaft 38 suitably housed within the machine, and driven in a manner to be hereinafter described. The shaft 38 is enclosed by cylindrical housing 39 formed with vertical guide slots 40. These slots receive fingers 41, which are secured to piston rods 42, at a point intermediate their ends, and upon the outer side of which track rollers 43 are secured. These rollers are adapted to move along tracks generally indicated at 44 and 45 in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and indicated by diagram in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The operation of these cams will be hereinafter described.

The outer ends of the piston rods 42 carry pistons 46, which reciprocate within the cylinders 37. Disposed in longitudinal alignment with the cylinders 37 and therebeneath, are counter-balancing cylinders 47, which are also fixed with relation to the housing 39 and rotate with the shaft 38. The lower ends of the piston rods 42 carry pistons 48,reciprocated in the counter-balance cylinders 47. A bypass duct 49 extends'longitudinally of each of the piston rods 42 and establishes communication between the cam cylinders 37 and the counter-balancing cylinders 47, whereby the pistons will have a floating action and there will be no resistance caused by the compression of air in either cylinder or inequality in operation due to a partial vacuum in either cylinder. 7

Disposed above the floor plate 35 and resting thereagainst, with a ground bit, is a vacuum sealing plate 50, which is provided with a series of openings 51 beneath which the can cylinders 37 may rotate, and with which the openings 36 of the cylinders may be brought to register. There are four of the openings 51 in the plate 50 indicated in Fig. 8 as 51a, 51b, 51c and 51d. Itwill thus be seen that while these cylinders 37 are traveling from the stationary position of openings 51a to 516, they pass beneath the plate 50 and are there sealed so that a partial vacuum may be established within the cylinders if desired. A similar condition may take place in the intervals between the first and second seaming operations, as indicated at 51?) and 510 and the discharge position as indicated at 51d.

By reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, the intake position of a can is indicated at A,the first seaming position indicated at B, the second seaming position at C, and the discharge position 'at D. The portion which may be called arotating turret, and which includes the can cylinders 37 and the counter-balancing cylinders 47, mounted upon the shaft 38 is provided with seven cylinders into which cans may be consecutively placed, and by them may be moved from the first to the second seaming stations, indicated at B and C, as the machine is intermittently operated. The seaming stations B and C include a bell 52, within which a seaming head 53 is mounted. This bell is secured tightly upon the packing plate 50 and receive the can when it is raised by its piston 46 to a seaming posi- .tion. When in this position the circular recess in the top of the can cap registers with a chuck plate 54, carried upon an upper chuck spindle 55. This'spindle extends upwardly through a sleeve 56 and is carried in bearings-57 and 58. The sleeve isprovided witha gear 59 by which it is independently driven through a--ineans.which will be here- .inafter explained, and it carries at its lower end a cage 60, having seam roll levers 61 and 62 mounted thereon by pivot pins 63 and 64. The lower end of the lever 61 carries a first seaming roll 65, and the lower end of the lever 62 carries a second seaming roll 66. The uplper end of lever 61'is provided with a'cam I sleeve is fitted er 67, which engages the groove 68 ofa cam 69; This cam is secured upon a sleeve 70. The upper end of lever 62 carries a cam 'roller 71 extending into a groove 72 of a cam 73, mounted upon a sleeve 74, and "which with a gear 74', the operation of which 'will be hereinafter described. The general seaming head construction is that shown in Patent No. 1,611,523 issued to me December 21st, 1926, and entitled Double '1 seaming head, and the operation of which structure is characterized. by the. movement of the rollers around the head of the cam and during which time the rollers successively move radially against the curled edge of the can cap and the flange of the can and complete a double seam against the assembled can and the cap. a I

A dome 52 is provided with an opening 75, sealed by a window 76, the frame of which is secured in place by fastening nuts 77, which makes it possible to observe the operation of the seaming head without breaking the vacuum-within the dome 52, and also renders the seaming head accessible when desirable, without dismantling'the entire inachine. a Extending longitudinally through the upper chuck spindle 55 is a knockout rod 78, which may move downwardly to breakany wedging actionwhich has taken place between the can and the chuck plate 54, and permit the can to fall free so that it may be lowered into the can cylinder 37 and .moved to the 'next seaming operation. I It is tobe under-' that at the second station the seam is more tightly formed to thoroughly and hermetically seal the can and its cap. 4

The track rollers 43, one of which is assoin Fig. 7 of the drawings, where it will be seen to comprise a righthand horizontal track section 45a, and an intermediate section 455 disposed in a horizontal plane considerably above thatof the section 45a, and a section 450 in the same plane withthe section 45a. Between the intermediate section and the end sections are vertical track members 79 and 80, along which the rollers 43 may be moved when the respective pistons are shifted vertically as .willzbe hereinafter described. The track structure-generally -in'dicated at 45 is adjus'tably mounted upon corner posts 81 and 82; which are radially aligned with the feed station A and the discharge station D. Reciprocably mounted upon the posts 81 and 82 arejshiftingyokes' 83 and 84, which fit between the vertical traclt members '79 and 80, and are provided with a fork, the fingers of which are normally in register with the rails of the track sections, and between which the rollers 43 may seat at the interval at which the operation of the machine is temporarily interrupted, and the feed seaming and discharge operations are taking place. The shiftin yoke 83 acts to engage a roller 43 and to 1i t the roller, with its associated piston rod 42, and pistons 46 and 48, to eject a can from the machine. This makes it necessary for the can to be elevated a distance equal to its heighth. WVhen the roller is thus elevated it is in the plane of the track section 456, and at the next movement of the turret may travel along the track sectionuntil it moves into register with shifting yoke 84, by which the roller and its associated pistons may be lowered while low ering the can deposited thereon. The track vated at the first and second seaming operation stations. Y This track is particularly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, where it will be seen to have an end sect on 44a, an

intermediate section 446, and an end section 440. These sections are interrupted byvertical track members 85 and 86 in which shift ing yokes 87 and 88 are mounted. The tracks are rigidly. secured upon corner posts 89 and 90, radially aligned with the first seaming station B and the second seaming station C. The yokes 87 and 88 are reciprocab-ly mounted upon these corner posts and act to engage the rollers and to lift them up and down between the'tracks '85 and 86 at'tho first and second seamin stations; It will be noted that the lift 0 the shifting yokes 83 and 84 is-considerably greater than the lift of the shifting yokes 87 and 88. This is due tothe fact that in the latter case the cans are only lifted a sufiicient distance to properly adjust them with relation to the seaming head of the machine, while in the 5 former instance the cans must be lifted a dis- I vided with a turn buckle 98, pivoted at its upper end to the yoke by pin 99, and at its lower end to shackle 100 by pin 101. These shackles are pivoted upon the opposite ends of the oscillating bar '95 so that alternate movement of the feed and discharge shifting yokes may be. obtained. The oscillat ng bar 95 is directly operated by a barrel cam 102 mounted upon a vertical shaft 103, and which shaft is driven in a manner to be hereinafter 5 described. The barrel cam has a circumferential groove 104 into which a cam roller 105 extends. This roller is mounted upon a rocker arm 106, pivoted'to the frame of the machine at 107. The free end of the rocker arm connects with the oscillating bar 95, and transmits movement from the rocker arm 106 to the oscillating bar .95. This universal joint is necessary due to the fact that the rocker arm and the osc llating bar are here shown as operating in planes at right angles to each other.

The shifting yokes 87 and 88 are provided with turn buckles 109 and 110, the lower ends of which project through openings in a cross-head 111. The collars 112 are mounted on the lower ends of each of the turn buckles and interposed between these collars and the cross-head are compression springs 113, by which yieldable pressure may be brought p against the bottom of the can to insure that it v is properly held withrelation to the double seaming chuck 54, and the seaming rolls cooperating therewith. The cross-head 111 is 0 mounted upon the outer ends of a seaming station rocker arm 112', which is pivoted midway its length upon a horizontally extending pivot 113". The end of the rocker arm 112' opposite of the cross-head carries a cam roller 114 adapted to ride along groove 115 of a seaming station barrel cam 116. This cam is secured upon the shaft 103 previously mentioned, and its groove is so formed as to insure that the shifting yokes 87 and 88 will properly engage and lift and lower track rollers 43, and their associated pistons at the two seaming stations, and in a.

simultaneous movement. 7

The entire operating structure beneath the 5 floor 35 is enclosed within an air tight houS- is provided with a. universal joint 108 whiching 117, which is mounted upon a base 118, and in which bearings for the various drive shafts are supported. The turret shaft 38 extends downwardly through this base and passes through radial and thrust bearings 118,as well as suitable packing means 120. The lower end of this shaft rests within a. thrust bearing 121, carried upon a leverarm 122. This lever arm is pivoted upon a shaft 123 and may be rocked by a foot treadle 124,

thus making it possible to conveniently support the weight of the turret and its associated parts until the suction action of the machine begins. Acompression spring 125 normally resists upward movement of the treadle 124.

and the floor 35 is a super structure including a vertical frame 126, carrying a horizontal bearing plate 127. Upon thls plate are mounted bearings standards 128 and 129. The main drive shaft 130 extends horizontally through these standards and is driven' through a suitable pulley clutch 131. Pivotally mounted upon the bearing standard 128 is a stripper arm 132, supported intermediate its ends upon a fulcrum pin 133. The free end of this arm engages the knockout pin 78. At a point intermediate the fulcrum pin 133 and pivoted to the arm 132, a roller 134 is mounted upon the arm and engages a cam 135. This cam is mounted upon the cam shaft 103 of the machine and by its operation the knockout rod 78 maybe caused to reciprocate. The main drive shaft 103 directly imparts motion to the turret shaft '38, through bevel gears 136 and 137. This shaft also imparts motion to the cam shaft 103 through bevel gears 138 and 139. The stripper arm 132 is fitted at its rear end with a shackle 140, which is secured by a pivot 141 to a presser arm 142, mounted upon a pivot pin 143. The free end of this arm carries a shackle 144, the upper end of which is pivoted to a presser rod 145, which verti-' cally reciprocates through bearings 146 and movesa presser plate 147 into or out of engagement with the top of a canat the feed station A, as will be hereinafter described.

In order that manual operation of the machine may be made an auxiliary shaft 146' is mounted above the shaft 130 and may be rotated by-a handwheel 147.-- This shaft carries a pinion 148 adapted to mesh with a pinion 149 when the shaft is longitudinally termittent drive shaft 155. Secured to rotate Disposed above the body of the machine .with the gear 154 is a worm wheel 156, which meshes with a worm gear 157, mounted upon of the machine and enclosed with the herj metically sealed compartment. This pinion is in mesh with a gear 164, mounted upon an intermediate drive shaft 165. This shaft is constantly driven and carries a disc 166, with arms 167, and intermittently operating rollers 168. These rollers engage grooves 169 in a Geneva cam 170, keyed upon the lower end of the intermittent drive shaft 155. The shaft 155 extends upwardly through the table and at a point above 'the table is fitted with a gear 17 0, in constant mesh with a ring gear 171, which extends entirely around the turret and embraces the'cylinders 37 thereof. The gears 170' and 171 produce intermittent driving movement of the turret. The shaft 155 is also provided with a gear 172 in constant mesh with a gear 173. The gear 173 is mounted upon star wheel shaft 174 and carries the star wheel 32 at its lowerend. This star wheel is supported above the floor '35 of the table and feeds cans into and out of the machine.

The turret shaft 38 carries gear 175 near its upper end, which is in mesh with gear 59 of the double seaming head, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The turret shaft 38 also carries a gear 176 in mesh with gear 74 of the double seaming head and by which vari able movement of the feed rollers and theircams is brought about. The shaft 38 is packed at its upper end by packing structure 177 toprevent leakage around .the shaft at the point where it passes through the floor 35.

Intermittent reciprocable motion of pusher head 178 and the plunger 179 is brought about. by a pitman rod 180, pivoted at its outer end upon a pin 181. The plunger moves 'between parallel 'guide rails 182 and 183 disposed at right angles to the path of travel of the can. The opposite end of the pitman rod'180 is secured to rotating arm 181' by pivot pin 182'. .Thisarm is mounted upon shaft183 of the idler gear 153, and makes one reciprocation at each rotation of that shaft;

Under certain conditions it may be desirable to tilt the table 26 as the filled cans are lead into the machine, and for that purpose the table 26 is provided at its forward end with a pivot shaft 184, which extends through a suitable boss in the end of the table. A lock bolt 185. is secured to the table intermediate its ends and extends through a slot 186 in a bracket 187, by which the table may be adjustably raised and lowered.

In order to insure that any entrained liquid within the counter-balance cylinders 47 may be readil drawn oil, drain ducts 188 are formed tirough the lower head plate 189 of the turret and are closed by valve discs 190, which normally are held. against their seat by the suction within the machine. Referring particularly to Fig. 10 of the drawings, a compressor 191 is indicated by diagram and is shown as having a suction pipe 192 secured thereto. This pipe is connected with a manifold 193, and has leads 194, which connect with v openings 194' through the sealing plate 50 at a point sub stantially midway between the feed station A and the first seaming station B, so that the can and its contents may be subjected to an intermittent vacuum action priorto the first seaming operation. The manifold is also provided with connections 196 which com municate with openingsthrough the sealing.

plate 50, at points substantially intermediate the first seaming station B and the second seaming station C, so that the can and its con-.

tents will be subjected to a vacuum action after the first seaming operation and before the second one.

In operation of the present invention, cans with their associated caps, as indicated by dotted lines at 197, are fed from a run of cans on to the can feed disc 10, and are thereafter separately spaced and uniformly timed with relation to each other, as they feed into the throat between the eccentric member 12 and i the guide finger 11. The cans are thereafter engaged by the fingers 23 of the accelerating can feed 14, and are advanced to a position betweenthe feed rails 26 and 27. Here they are engaged. by flights carried upon the sprocket chain 160, and are consecutively car.- ried into the machine. When they reach the curved feed rails 29 and 30 they are diverted from their lineal path of travel and are fed into position to register with the arcuate recesses between the arms .of the star wheel 32. At the same time the pusher 179 will move the cans along their curved path of travel into position with relation to the star wheel 32, and the star wheel will then carry the can beneath the disc 147 which will be moved downwardly by the swinging action of the lever 142 and the rod 145. The can will then be forced downwardly into a cylinder 37 of the. turret and through an opening 36. This downward feeding movement by the disc 147 will be accompanied by a receding action of thepiston 46 of the cylinder 37 this interval of operation, the turret is at rest.

After the operation has been completed, however, and the can has been seated in the cylinder 37, which is at that time in register with feed station A, the roller 168 on one of the arms 167 will engage a slot 169, in the Geneva cam 170, and will rotate that cam a quarter of a revolution. This rotation will produce a corresponding rotation of the shaft 155, thus causing the star wheel to move a quarter of a revolution and the turret to advance oneseventh of a revolution. As the turret advances, the can which has been previously deposited in its cylinder 37. will move beneath the sealing plate 50 andinto a zone under the influence of the suction action of the pump 191, through the medium of the main pipe 192, the manifold 193, and pipes 194. During the interval of movement, the oscillating bar 95 in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that the piston 46 will be restored again to the position shown within the cylinder 37 then in register with the feed station A, will be in a, position to receive another can. This step by step feed motion will continue and at the second step of movement after the intermittent can has been placed in a cylinder 37, at the feed station; the can will be in register with the first seaming station B and the mouth 36 of the cylinder 37, will register with an opening 51 in the sealing plate 50. When in this position the shifting yokes 87 and 88 are simultaneously raised and will engage the rollers 43, which may be in register with them, so that the portion of the canv and the assembled capto be double seamed will be projected into the bell of the double seaming head and properly seated with relation to the upper seaming chuck 54. This raising motion of the piston 46 and the can supported thereon was directly brought about by the operation of the cylindrical cam 116, which acted to swing the rocker lever 112' and lifted the cross-head 11, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

'This lifting action simultaneously operated the turn buckles 109 and 110, and caused the shifting yokes and the rollers .43 Which might be between their fingers to be lifted upwardly between the vertical guides 85 and 86. During this time the turret is standing idle and the seaming head 53 is started in motion. The short lever 62 carrying first operation seaming roller 66 will first be swung in against the operation of the can to be seamed, and will 'move therealong and around the can as the can is held against motion. After a suitableaction by this roller, the roller 66 recedes from engagement with the can and the cap and the second operation seaming roller 65 is moved in engagement with the seam and caused to.tra-vel therealong. At the completion of the seam, thus formed the knockout rod 78 forces downwardly and disengages the can from the upper chuck 54, as the piston 46 upon which the can rests recedes. This receding motion is brought-about by the cam 116 and the lever with the second seaming station C, a second I set of rollers 66 and 65 will successively act against the can to completely and thoroughly form a tight can and hermetically seal it. The can is lifted to its seaming position in this instance by the shifting yoke 88. At the completion of the seaming operation, rota-. tion of the turret is again begun and the can is carried to the discharge, station D, where the oscillating bar will act through turn buckle 98 to lift the shifting yoke 83 and eject the can from its cylinder 37.

Attention is directed to the fact thatthe various structures 41 carrying the rollers 43 are guided along vertical slots in barrel 39 of the turret. When the can has been ejected from the cylinder 37 it will be engaged by the star wheel 32 and will be carriedfrom the machine as the successive cans are crowded outwardly between tracks 200 and 201, which may lead to any suitable can runway.

.Attention is directed to the fact that the pistons and their vertical movement may controlled and adjusted by the various turn buckles, previously described, so that the cans will be properly set with relation to the seaming mechanism. It will also be seen that due to the bypass duct 49 extending through the piston rods 42 there will be equal air pressure in the cam cylinders 37 and the counter-balancing cylinders 47.

It will thus be seen that by the structure here disclosed, it is possible to rapidly and automatically subject cans and their contents to a suction action under conditions of partial vacuum, thus removing air from the cans to insure that the contents will be properly preserved withoutpossibility of spoiling, and .7

that the mechanism will hermetically seal the cans while under such conditions, to insure that the contents of the cans will remain sealed in vacuo.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it Will be understood that various changes may be made in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent is:

1. A machine for double seaming cans 1n vacuo, comprising a seaming head, a rotatingcarriage having a pocket into which a can may be lowered, and after which it may be moved with the carriage to an operative position relative to the seaming head, a bell surrounding the seaming head and actin with the rotatable carriage and the pocketit herein when in register therewith to form an air tight compartment within which the can may be seamed, means exerting suction upon said compartment, and means for raising the can from its pocket to be disposed in seaming operationv with the seaming head, and to be acted upon thereby.

2. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuo, comprising a seaming head, a rotating carriage-having a pocket into which a can may be lowered, and after which it may be moved to an operative position relative to the seaming head, a bell surrounding the.

the carriage to a discharge position.

3. A- machine for double seaming a can and its cap in vacuo, which comprises acancarriage, including apocketinto which a can may be positioned, a movable floor 1n said pocket, means for lowering and raising said floor to place the can within the pocket, thereafter advance and retract it with relation to can to discharge it from the pocket, a double seaming head along the path of travel of said pocket, anv enclosing bell for said seaming head, forming an air tight joint with the can carriage, suction means for creating a partial vacuumwithin the can pocketand the bell when they are in register with each other, and synchronously operated driving, means for actuating said cancarri'age, the movable floor in'the canpocket, and thedouble seaming head,whereb v a can will be successively lowered into the pocket, thereafter moved to the seaming head and placed in operative relation thereto, held in such-position during the seaming operation, thereafter the can lowered into the pocket and moved to a discharge position, and then lifted from the pocket-to be discharged from the machine. 4. A machine for forming a double sa between a can and itscap in vacuo, which comprises a double seaming station, a. bell cn'-' closing the same and extending downwardly t'hereover, a rotary cantu rret disposed 'beneath the hell with its upper face'in contact with the mouth thereof, whereby an air tight joint will be formed therebetween, a plurality of can receiving pocketsformed in said turret, means for raising and lowering the top of a can with relation to the upper surface of the turret, whereby the can may be to bring the can pockets thereof in successive register with the ,doublfis'eamin'g head to raise and lower the can with relation' to the seaming head, and to cause a seammg operation to take place when the can has been raised to a seaming position.

In a device of the character described,

a can pocket adapted to be in a condition of partial vacuum, a piston therein forming the bottom of the pocket, and a. seal therefor, a

counter balance cylinder, a piston therein, connecting means between plstons of the first named cylinder and the counter balancecylinder, and a bypass duct between the two cylinders, whereby, atmospheric displacement by movement of one piston will be compensated for in the opposite cylinder to eliminate resistance to piston movement.

" 6. In a device of the character described,

a can pocket adapted to, be in-acondition of partial vacuum, a piston therein forming the bottom of the pocket, and a seal therefor, a counter, balance cylinder, a piston therein, connecting means between pistons of the first named cylinder and the-counter. balance cylinder, and a bypass duct betwee'nthe two cylinders, whereby atmospheric displacement by t f t "11 b a double seaming head, and then elevate the movemen 0 one pls on W e compensated for in the opposite cylinder to eliminate resistance to piston movement, and means for reciprocatingjsaid pistons.

7. In .a device-of the character described a can" pocket adapted to be in a condition of:

artial vacuum, a piston therein forming the ttom of the pocket, and; a seal therefor, a counter balance cylinder,

connect" means between pistons of the first named cy inder and the counter balance'cyla piston therein,

s'istance to piston movement, a rotating carriageof which said structure is a part, means for intermittently driving said carriage, and means for, reciprocating said pistons at positions whenthe carriage, is at rest. v

8. A machine for sealingcans, including a rotary turret formed with a plurality of can receiving pockets, extending vertically and in spaced relation concentrically the turret, said pockets being of a depth in excess of the-heighth ofa can to be deposited therein, bottoms ofthe axis of in each of said pockets upon which a? can may rest,and by which it may.

be lowered into the pocket -or raisedtherefrom, a double seaming station, means operating in advance of said. double seaming station to lower a can into a pocket, means oper- 1 can receiving'pockets,extending vertically and in spaced relation concentrically of the axis of the turret, said pockets being of a dcpth'in excess of the heighth of a can to be deposited therein, bottoms in each of said pockets upon which a can may rest, and by which it may be lowered into the pocket or raised therefrom, a double seaming station,

means operating in advance of said double scaming'station to lower a can into a pocket, means operating when the can is in register with the double seaming station to raise the can to a seaming position and lower the same after the seaming operation, means for ejecting the can from its pocket after it has left the seaming station, and intermittently and synchronously operating drive. means for causing said successive vertical movements of the can in its respective pocket, and operation of the double seaming head when the can has been raised tobe acted upon thereby, means enclosing the double seaming head and forming a hermetical seal around themouth of the pocket at the seaming station, and means for applying suction to the pocket and the closure for the double seaming head.

1.0. A machine for sealing cans, including a rotary turret formed with'a; plurality of can receiving pockets, extending vertically and in spaced relation concentrically of the axis of the turret, said pockets being of a depth in excess of the heighth of a can toflge deposited therein, bottoms in each'of said pockets upon which a can may rest, and by which it may be lowered into the pocket or raised therefrom, a double seaming station, means operating in advance of said double seaming station to lower a can into a pocket,

means operating when the can is in register with the double seaming station-to-raise the can to a seaming position and lower the same after the seaming'operation, means for ejecting the can from its pocket after it has.

left the seaming station, and intermittently and synchronously operating drive means for causing said successive vertical. movements of the can in its respective pocket, and operation of the double seaming head when the can has been raised to be acted upon thereby, means enclosing the double seaming head and forming a hermetical seal around the mouth of the pocket at the seaming station, and means for applying suction to the pocket and the closure for the double seaming head, while the pocket is in register with the seaming head.

11. A machine for double seaming cans and caps in vacuo, which comprises a rotary turret mounted upon a vertical axis, a plurality of cylindrical pockets in said turret spaced equal distance to each other on a vertical concentric with the axis of the turret, a piston fitting into each of said pockets and adapted to reciprocate a set of counter balance cylinders, one disposed in longitudinal vertical alignment with each of the pockets of the turret, and carried thereby, a piston in each of said counter balance cylinders, a piston rod connecting the complementary pistons of the can pocket and its counter balance cylinder, an intake station, a double seaming station, and a discharge station, to which the can pockets are successively moved, and means for raising a piston of a canpocket to the top thereof when said pocket registers with the intake station, means for disposing a can on said piston at saidstation, means for lowering the piston with the can until its top is beneath the level of the mouth of the pocket, means intermittently rotating the turretto bring said pocket and the can contained therein, into successive register with the said stations, means for raising and lowering the top of the can and its associated cap when brought to register with the seaming station, seaming means acting upon it at said station, and means for raising the piston within the can pocket when it is in register with the discharge station, to lift the can entirely out of the pocket and to permit it to be removed from the machine.

, 12. A machine for double seaming cans and caps in vacuo, which comprises a rotary turret mounted upon a vertical axis, a plurality of cylindrical pockets in said turret spaced equal distance to each other on a circle concentric with theaxis of the turret, a piston fitting into each of said pockets and adapted to reciprocate a set of counter balance cylinders, one disposed in longitudinal'vertical alignment with each of the pockets of the turret, and carried thereby, a piston in each of said counter balance cylinders, a piston rod connecting the complementary pistons of the can pocket and its counter balance cylinder, an intake station, a.double seaming station,

and a discharge station, to which the can pockets aresuccess1vely moved, and means for raising a piston of a can pocket to the top thereof when said pocket registers with the intake station, means for disposing a can on said piston at said station, means for lower- .ing the piston with the can until its top is beneath the level of the mouth of the pocket, bell during said seaming operation, and means intermittently rotating the turret to means for increasing a partlal condition of bring said pocket and the can contained vacuum around the can in the pocket prior to therein, into successive register with the said said seaming operation.

stations, means for raising and lowering the top of the can and its associated cap when 7 brought to register with the seaming station, seammg means acting upon it at said station, means or raising the piston within the can pocket when it is in register with the discharge station, to lift the can entirely out of the pocket and to permit it to be removed from the machine, a bell enclosing the seaming means and forming a hermetical seal around the top of a can pocket at the seaming station, and suction means acting upon the interior of the bell and the register pocket to produce a partial vacuum therein, and to substantially remove the air from the can prior to ending its seaming operation.

13. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuo, comprising a seaming head, a bell enclosing said head, a rotatable carriage beneath the bell and having a pocket therein whereby an air tight compartment will be formed by the bell and the pocket when they are in register, means for lifting 'a previously deposited can within the pocket and in operative relation to the seaming head when the bell and pocket are in register, means for creating a condition of partial vacuum around the'can as the pocket moves to register with the bell, and means to create and increase the condition of vacuum around the can during the seaming operation.

14. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuo, comprising a seaming head, a bell enclosing said head and having an open mouth, a rotary carriage disposed contiguous to said bell and having a continuously hermetically sealed joint therewith, a pocket in the carriage and into which a can may be disposed, said carriage moving to bring the pocket into and 'out qfregister with the mouth of the I bell, means for moving the can within the pocket into seaming relation with the seaming head when the pocket and the bell are in register, and means for creating a condition of vacuum within the pocket and the bell during said seaming operation.

15. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuo, comprising a seaming head, a bell enclosing said head and having an' open mouth, a rotary carriage disposed contiguous to said bell and having a continuously hermetically sealed joint therewith, a pocket in the carriage and into which a can may be dis osed, said carriage moving to bring the poo et into and out ofregister with the mouth of the bell, means for moving the can within the pocket into seaming relation with the seaming head when the pocket and the bell are in register, means for creating a condi- 7 tion of vacuum within the pocket and the HENRY GUENTHER. 

